Hillary Clinton says it takes a village. But first the village has to eat. In my book, it takes a kitchen. Come and discover why food is part of everything we do, and just like romance, is most often enjoyed with and binds us to others. Along the way, I will tease you into discovering the science and philosophy that will help you seduce the lover, impress the boss, build the family and change the community. And we will probably get to share some recipes on this journey...

Sunday, March 31, 2013

I remember the Easter season as a kid.In New England it meant warming weather,
melting snow and hints of green.The
week leading up to Easter would mean a vaguely-remembered Rankin-Bass show
about Peter Cottontail and the main event, The Wizard of Oz.Good Friday was mournful for some reason I
didn’t fully understand.And then came
the big day.The Easter Bunny had come
the night before leaving behind jelly beans, chocolate and hopefully some
marshmallow Peeps. Dinner was always ham
, frozen, wilted spinach with vinegar and scallop potatoes.I do remember the potatoes fondly…

This year we added a life-altering dessert to the mix.I am serious... this is big.You are going to hear this, wonder why you
haven’t done it, print this, and do it next Spring – or maybe next
weekend!Do not continue reading unless
you’re willing to increase you sugar intake soon.Do not continue reading this if you’re overly
concerned for your health.Absolutely
stop reading now if you have kids that get hyper with sugar and you wish they
would not.Just stop now.

Still here?Cool.Here’s what we did… and in full disclosure,
this was not my idea.This is the doing
of my future sister-in-law – all her invention.First, in classic urban fashion, my brother-in-law started a fire in a
bucket.When was the last time you did
that on Easter Sunday?Want more?Ok…next we got out graham crackers…ok…you
might think you know where this is going…but wait.Then we got one chocolate bunny, a hollow
one, and busted it on a plate and then, you guessed it, opened a box of
Peeps.No…we opened two, one pink
bunnies and the other yellow chicks.Yes
indeed….we made s’mores and turned them into S’MEEPS!!!!But listen…there’s a real beauty in
this.That sugary, colored crust on the Peep
caramelizes over the flame like you wouldn’t believe.And it gets so hot that it instantly melts
the thin milk chocolate of the bunny.And when you squeeze it all together on a cracker the marshmallow oozes
out through holes in the crust of the Peep.This is amazing!

I love s’mores, but this takes it to another level.And now we have a new Easter dessert
tradition!Long Live The Easter S’meeps.

What is the world’s most perfect food?Cheese, bread and beer all run pretty high on
the list for me.Their simplicity,
complexity, variety and sheer joy I get from them far exceed almost all other
foods.But the egg?Now that is a perfect food.

Consider that it is produced naturally and comes in its own
biodegradable container.Consider the
variety….quail eggs are petite, ostrich eggs are gigantic, and they’re all
edible.Look at the sheer beauty and
simplicity.Slightly white translucence
contrasts against the golden brightness of a yolk.

There are fruits and vegetables that could challenge the egg
for aesthetic beauty and design, but what of versatility?An egg could be eaten raw if you are careful
of its sourcing. (But I am not encouraging that – that’s my legal disclaimer)
It can cook quickly and become sticky and creamy as in carbonara.An egg can be fried sunny-side up to create a
wonderful contrast between opaque white and golden yolk.It can be flipped while frying to create a
white disk centered by only a hint of gold.Scrambled and you have golden happiness.Boil an egg for 7 minutes and get a beautiful, creamy soft one, or go a
few minutes longer and see it hard-boiled and get something you can put aside
until you need it.You mix an egg with
flour and it will help cakes puff up.Mix it with cream and some veggies and get an omelet.Mix it with mayo and make a sandwich. Poach it for clean, stark whiteness and
golden deliciousness.Eggs are amazing!

What about texture?An egg can go from sensuous creaminess to slice-able firmness in
minutes.Compare a soft-boiled egg to a
whipped egg for scrambling to one used for sushi.That’s the same natural resource!

What food has greater historical, cultural, even biological
significance?Why Easter eggs?Eggs are symbols of birth and fertility.What is spring but a time of rebirth and
fertility, and Easter is ultimately a spring ritual repeated in various forms
by faiths and cultures the world over.

So as you gorge yourself on eggs today or anytime this
spring, consider this amazing gift from nature as the ultimate packaged
food.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

I was late in high school or maybe even college before I
tried sushi.The thought of it sounded
delicious to me, and it sure did not disappoint.In the 25 years since I have had sushi as
often as I could afford it.And I don’t
mind admitting that I like it all…I am not picky.The stuff at the grocery store?Love it.The places with the laminated placards and checklists?Happy as can be.A fancy place in San Francisco’s Japan Town…thrilled.And I am a bottomless pit when it comes to
sushi and sashimi.Some people can eat
pizza without ever getting full.Some
can consume entire bags of Doritos.Me…I
don’t ever remember being satiated by sushi.I just want to keep eating and savoring each and every amazing bite.The only limit for me seems to be cost.

Fortunately, there’s a movie that will allow me to “eat” my
sushi as often as I want at low cost.I
recently watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi
to satisfy a craving for a documentary and raw fish.One of the things I have always appreciated
about sushi was its aesthetic.Presentation is a priority for all foods, but it seems absolutely vital
to sushi.This movie, using music, dialogue
and of course visuals really captures the sushi aesthetic and amplifies
it.My craving is worse now.

Jiro is an 85 year old sushi chef/restaurateur in
Tokyo.He is the oldest Michelin-starred
chef in the world.His restaurant is
simple, sparse and really nothing at all to notice from the outside.But his methods and care for each and every
element are extraordinary.His staff
preps the seaweed over hot coals, fans the rice to cool it to just the right
temperature, carefully and elegantly slices each piece of fish guided by
history, tradition and optimal flavor and texture possibilities.At the counter Jiro preps each individual
piece of sushi with grace and delicacy, custom sized for each guest.Caring for each and every element – temperature,
texture, even seating arrangements – Jiro has created one of the world’s
greatest dining experiences.

But there’s a subplot that ends up emerging as the real
story.Jiro’s two sons have worked for
him.The younger of the two has struck
out on his own, creating his own restaurant.The eldest, however, remains Jiro’s apprentice at the age of 50.His dedication and devotion – or is it
obligation? – to his father and his work is the real conflict in the film.By the end it is clear that he loves and admires
his father, carries the heavy burden of one day taking over the restaurant, and
is, in fact, the current architect of all the ingredients while his father gets
the spotlight.It is a fascinating exploration
of familial commitment.By the end I was
comfortable believing that the son knew his influence and had confidence that
he could skillfully take over the restaurant when his father passed.Further, I know Jiro knows it; but Jiro is
the sort that will die the moment he gives up his passion, so he continues to
work.

For a foodie and sushi lover, there’s much to enjoy and
fascinate here.The pictures of Jiro’s
creations are stunning.Watching the
steps and detail involved in making profoundly wonderful sushi are
inspiring.Every element is an art…rice
prep, seaweed, fish selection and prep, cleanliness of every plate, arrangements
of settings.Jiro has thought of
everything right down to how to place the sushi on the dish depending upon
whether the diner of right handed or left handed.I found the acquisition of high-quality
ingredients intriguing.Jiro has one
source for rice and only he gets the rice – the seller sells it to nobody
else.The scenes of the fish market in
Tokyo are enthralling.I would love to
have someone explain the tuna auction to me.The varieties of sea life available were incredible.I want to try all of it.

After watching Jiro
Dreams of Sushi I cannot help but wonder what eating would be like if we
put such care into all we ate.First, I
bet we would eat less.But then imagine
the sensory experience it would be.Would
it be exhausting?Invigorating?I don’t know, but I love knowing that there
are artists out there like Jiro.They make
our world a more interesting place.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Some very exciting news from the world of online restaurant reviews. Come check this out...and I look forward to seeing you over there.

Come sign up for
LikeStream because you want great restaurant recommendations from the friends
and experts you trust and want to hear from. Who better than a passionate local
with a point of view, to help you discover more hidden gems?

Please welcome the first
of our knowledgeable and adventurous local foodie experts to help you in your
quest for new dining experiences.

Michelle Syracuse is the author of a tasteful blog called Gather365. With the
motto of "Go forth, Gather, Eat good food", she engagingly narrates
her dining experiences in and around Oakland and San Francisco. Best way to
describe Michelle's choices and reviews - down-to-earth, warm and
thoughtful.

Mark Janda is the author of a thought-provoking blog
called It Takes A Kitchen. Mark
is a history teacher with a penchant for exploring new food and dining, so you
can imagine the learning and adventure that comes from following his reviews
around his hometown of Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Europe.

Sign-in,
go to our "foodies & friends" page and follow them from our
"famous foodies" tab to see their reviews in your search results.

p.s. A local expert foodie yourself? or know of one? Just let us know, we would love to
promote you or your friend on our famous foodies page!

You heard right. 3 restaurant reviews + 1 creative short bio + 1 profile
photo (see example below), and you are in! The most creative bio entry
along with the most number of reviews submitted by April 21st will be awarded $250
towards a dinner at one of our many recommended restaurants in the San
Francisco Bay Area!

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About Me

I am a native New Englander, but I have lived across the country and in Europe and now live in California. I am a father, husband and cook, a high school history teacher, avid cyclist, reluctant runner, and traveler.